East Louisville car thefts, garage break-ins highlight safety issue plaguing residents across city

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Thieves have stolen more than 2,000 cars in Louisville so far this year, a number that police said is an 18% drop from 2023 but still has residents on all corners of the city being vigilant.

Cars are going missing from streets, driveways and even some garages.

"We've had so much trouble with those people," said Rich Upton, who lives in Indian Hills. "They know what kind of cars they want. They know where to go get them. No wonder my car insurance is so high."

Upton moved to Indian Hills about six years ago from Baltimore and said his car insurance went up 40%.

"That, to me, is mind boggling," he said.

Through June 6 in 2024, Louisville Metro Police said 2,338 vehicles stolen in the city, which averages out to nearly 15 per day. In the same timeframe last year, there were 2,856 car thefts.

Data from Community Crime Map shows car thefts in Louisville in the first half of 2024.

Indian Hills Police posted an alert on social media Thursday morning, warning that thieves went through several unlocked vehicles in Rolling Fields, off Brownsboro Road. Investigators said the suspects are also using garage door openers found in those vehicles to enter garages.

Upton has never had his car broken into or stolen, but his neighbors have.

"The only thing he was concerned about was his golf clubs," Upton said. "If I get my golf clubs back, I will press charges."

From west Louisville to east Louisville, thieves have made their mark in every police division. You can see for yourself in Louisville's crime map.

"That's a lot of cars," Upton said Thursday. "Just think: You wake up in the morning, and your car is gone."

Just this week, the Jeffersontown Police Department also said multiple vehicles were stolen at Bachman Chevrolet at 9650 Bluegrass Parkway, including a 2024 Corvette, a 2019 Camaro and 2021 Silverado. Police identified Abubaker Ahmed as a person of interest in connection with the thefts, according to police.

And last year, Louisville saw nearly 2,000 Kias and Hyundais stolen, part of a nationwide increase as certain models were considered easy targets because of faulty ignition switches. And they're packing the city's impound lot. Last week, police told Metro Council it's so full that there isn't enough space to bring in more cars.

James Bell, head of corporate communications for Kia America, said 1.2 million Kia owners have upgraded their software nationwide. He said it's free and takes less than an hour to get done.

The fix hasn't worked perfectly, but police said thieves are also moving on to other models including Jeeps, Chryslers, and Dodge vehicles.

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